Syrian Kurds defend federal plan, deny autonomy aim

A Syrian Kurd representative defended Monday the proclamation of a Kurdish federal region in northern Syria, saying it was not meant to be autonomous and only for Kurds. The Kurds and their allies unilaterally proclaimed a federal region in the war-ravaged country last week, but critics said it would undermine Syria’s unity and lead to its partition. “We don’t aspire to create an autonomous zone that is exclusive to the Kurdish nation,” said Rodi Osman, director of the Syrian Kurd’s representative office in Moscow.